'Cherish the moment': 2007 Hoggard football champions root on Vikings in state title game

It's been 16 years since the Hoggard High School football team has appeared in a state championship, but that will change Saturday.

Hoggard returns to a state championship as the Vikings face Weddington in the NCHSAA 4A title game. The team earned its only championship trophy in program history on Dec. 8, 2007.

The squad that achieved the feat went a perfect 15-0 and included future NFL player Jonathan Cooper as well as all-time North Carolina Tar Heels point leader and kicker Casey Barth.

Those players, now done with their playing careers, will be cheering on the Vikings as they eye their first state title in almost two decades.

WHAT TO KNOW What to know as Hoggard football faces Weddington in NCHSAA 4A state championship Saturday

HOW TO WATCH How to watch Hoggard football in NCHSAA 4A state championship game

"Just have fun," Barth said of his message to Vikings players. "Don't get caught up too much in how big the moment is. Just have fun and enjoy it with your friends. I think it's easy to get in your head and put a lot of pressure on yourself, but they should just go there and enjoy the moment."

Barth was one of Hoggard's all-time best kickers, nailing 14 field goals and 60 point-after attempts in 2007. Brother Connor, who graduated in 2003, went on to play in the NFL for 10 seasons.

Perhaps one of the Vikings' most talented athletes of all time, offensive and defensive lineman Cooper helped pave the way for a Hoggard ground game that scored 51 touchdowns in 2007.

"As far as winning the state championship, that's probably a top-five moment I've ever had in my life," Cooper said. "The bonds that I built and the friendships that I gained from Hoggard football have withstood the test of time and are probably some of the fondest moments and best friendships that I have to this day."

Cooper, also a standout wrestler at Hoggard, went on to play at UNC before being selected in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft with the seventh overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals. He appeared in 46 games during his nine-year NFL career.

"Don't take the moment for granted, but don't let the moment be too big for you," Cooper said of his advice for Hoggard players. "Appreciate everything it is, everything that's led up to this moment, because when you get in that state championship game, win, lose, or draw, it's over in the blink of an eye."

Possessing one of the area's most experienced football teams this fall, Hoggard has suffocated opponents with a defense that's created 25 turnovers and allowed just 11.6 points per game.

The championship squad of 2007 also had a stout defense, allowing less than 10 points per game through the 15-game season. Defensive back Chris Carter, who played at N.C. State and Coastal Carolina after graduating from Hoggard, says winning a state championship was the highlight of his football career.

"(Winning a state championship) is easily the No. 1 experience (of my playing career)," Carter said. "Without a doubt, that was a special moment, mainly because of the people we won it with."

Carter, who now lives in California, is making the trip to Raleigh to watch his alma mater in Saturday's state championship.

As thousands of Wilmington-area fans cheer on Hoggard this Saturday, whether from the stands or watching online, the message from past players to current players is one of unconditional encouragement.

"Cherish the moment," Carter said. "It's a big moment, and don't let it slip from you. Those are your brothers next to you, and they'll be your brothers for life."

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Hoggard football champions root on Vikings in 2023 state title game